Rahul Gandhi: Wasn’t there… but ready to take responsibility for 1984 riots

On a question about 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the Congress’s relationship with the community, he said: “As far as the mistakes the Congress party have made are concerned, a lot of them happened when I was not there. But I am more than happy to take responsibility for everything bad that the Congress has done in its history.”

On reconciliation with the community, he said: “I have publicly stated that what happened in the 1980s was wrong. I have been to Golden Temple multiple times. I have an extremely good relationship with the Sikh community in India and a loving relationship with them,” said Gandhi who started the interaction by saying that the idea of India as a Union of states “is under systematic attack by a narrow ideology”.

On the caste census, Gandhi said, “It is the first step. I was shocked with what we found (in Telangana caste census)… It will transform the way we think about development and politics”.

He went on to say, “… All our mythological figures – Lord Ram was of that type where he was forgiving and compassionate. I don’t consider what the BJP says to be the Hindu idea at all… It is much more pluralistic, embracing, affectionate, tolerant and open.” The remarks referring to Lord Ram as a “mythological figure” saw the BJP reacting with a “Ram drohi” (anti-Ram) jibe and saying that the Opposition party opposed the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya.

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari asked him to change his party’s name to “anti-Hindu Congress”. “The party that used words like Hindu terrorism, did not believe in the existence of Lord Ram and made every possible effort to not build the Ram temple in Ayodhya, its anti-Hindu face stands exposed today,” Bhandari told PTI.

The BJP urged Gandhi to ensure the expulsion of Jagdish Tytler, Kamal Nath and Sam Pitroda from the party if he actually felt the 1984 riots were wrong.

Asked about how India should respond to US President Donald Trump’s tariff policy, Rahul said: “We don’t know how it (India) is responding. Because they don’t tell us these things. Donald Trump is negotiating. We should negotiate right back.”

On the threat from Pakistan and China, Rahul said that “now China and Pakistan are fused”. “So, any conflict we have will probably involves both of them together,” he said, adding that China has monopolised manufacturing and Trump has “diagnosed this problem accurately”.